EAST RUTHERFORD -- As Will Hill's future remains in limbo, so apparently does his standing with the Giants. After finishing last season firmly entrenched as a starter, the position he won with his play on the field may have been given away by his actions off it.

Hill and the Giants continue to wait for a verdict on the appeal of his latest failed drug test. In the meantime, Hill is on the practice field at OTAs working out with his teammates. But despite a breakout 2013 season, the troubled safety practiced with the second team on Thursday.

Stevie Brown, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, played alongside Antrel Rolle with the first-team defense.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the uncertainty of Hill's situation has put the team in a bind. Based on Hill's position on the depth chart, they appear to have started implementing their contingency plan.

"It is and it will be [a difficult situation]. There's no doubt about that part about it," Coughlin said. "In the spring, we try to get as many reps for as many people as we can. Right now we're three-deep back [at safety], so it's fine."

The Giants re-signed Brown and added safety Quintin Demps this offseason. They also have Cooper Taylor from last year's draft, Nat Berhe from this year's draft and added C.J. Barnett and Thomas Gordon as priority free agents.

General manager Jerry Reese has provided the Giants coaching staff with options. It's just that none may be capable of replicating what Hill did -- when he was actually on the field -- last season.

Pro Football Focus ranked Hill the second-best safety in the NFL for 2013 behind only New England's Devin McCourty. Hill graded out extremely well against the run and the pass, and posted an overall score of +15.7.

Brown ranked a respectable 26th among safeties in 2012 with a +4.1 grade. But he's coming off an ACL tear that was supposed to render him limited during OTAs.

Fortunately for the Giants, it really hasn't. Brown was close to a full participant in Thursday's workout, and didn't need a brace for support on the affected knee. Based off the path of his rehab, he's not surprised to be near full strength or with the first team.

"I'm not going to say I am. I know what I can do," Brown said. "It's just continue to prove it now. That is all it is. I can't say I'm surprised."

The Giants likely aren't either. There is a reason he returned this season. They watched him closely before making any decision this offseason, even with two Pro Bowl-caliber starting safeties on their roster.

"Stevie's had a good winter. He's been in here rehabbing the whole time," Coughlin said. "He's gone through both the first and second phases [of the offseason workout program] very well. He's running very well so we're very happy with that.

"He does have some … we're watching him, let's put it that way. He is what we call limited, but he has been able to demonstrate that he has prepared himself well."

The Giants are so impressed that they've thrown him right in there with the first-team defense, likely because they know they may need him there given Hill's situation. It seems they're already preparing for the worst with their troubled third-year safety.